Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - Living on an Island

snowbird · 06-02-2006, 07:51 AM

Our island property faces Bear Islander and I would second his thoughts. Water frontage values on the mainland run 2, 3, even 5 times higher than island frontage. Thus, an island property, no building on it, might fetch $300,000 for 200' of waterfront. Half that much waterfront on the mainland would be worth two, three, even five times as much per front foot. If already developed the value for mainland property might be 10 times higher.

There are good reasons for this, aside from supply and demand. Island living requires adapting to a lifestyle very different than the norm. Can't just jump in the car for anything you might want or need at the moment. Takes planning----and a slip on the mainland to go to. Which adds another cost to the lot value.

Damages to our dock this season require costs and attention that might well be ignored, or at least delayed, if our home were on the mainland. Out here our boat is our lifeline, a necessity rather than a luxury.

We'd love to spend Thanksgivings, Christmases, Easters out here with our families, since this is our family gathering place these past 50+ years. Not impossible, maybe, but almost so. Obviously, we must have a winter place somewhere else for at least half the year.

We love it.

06-02-2006, 07:51 AM	#3
snowbird Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Gilford Islander Posts: 55 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Island living Our island property faces Bear Islander and I would second his thoughts. Water frontage values on the mainland run 2, 3, even 5 times higher than island frontage. Thus, an island property, no building on it, might fetch $300,000 for 200' of waterfront. Half that much waterfront on the mainland would be worth two, three, even five times as much per front foot. If already developed the value for mainland property might be 10 times higher. There are good reasons for this, aside from supply and demand. Island living requires adapting to a lifestyle very different than the norm. Can't just jump in the car for anything you might want or need at the moment. Takes planning----and a slip on the mainland to go to. Which adds another cost to the lot value. Damages to our dock this season require costs and attention that might well be ignored, or at least delayed, if our home were on the mainland. Out here our boat is our lifeline, a necessity rather than a luxury. We'd love to spend Thanksgivings, Christmases, Easters out here with our families, since this is our family gathering place these past 50+ years. Not impossible, maybe, but almost so. Obviously, we must have a winter place somewhere else for at least half the year. We love it.